Lost in the Lights
by Toushi
Summary: be-the-peaf; Prompt #20 - "So what would you do if you weren't the Avatar?"


**Title: **Lost in the Lights  
**Word Count: **950  
**Summary: **["So what would you do if you weren't the Avatar?" | Mako. Korra.]

**be-the-peaf ·** Prompt 020 – lost

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**I don't know when this takes place in Book 1 probably some time after the beginning of Episode 8 or something.**

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**-Lost in the Lights-  
-1/20/13-**

-.-

He finds her not because he wants to but because of where she is.

The island is dark at night, nearly pitch black in some places and Mako walks around its dirt paths trying to find his way back to the dormitory, relying on the lights scattered along the road to guide him along the way. As he is passing yet another building, he notices something or rather, _someone _sitting at the edge of the roof, overlooking the city. It doesn't take him long to figure out it's her (who else would be up there at this time of night?) and silently, he looks for a way to get closer, climbing up a low tree branch to jump across to the roof.

She turns because of the noise, but quickly faces the other way, as if not acknowledging him will make him disappear for the night. Mako walks along the center support of the roof, minding his steps careful so he doesn't fall. When he reaches her, or at least, a few feet away, he stuffs his hands in his pockets to take them from the wind.

"You gotta minute?" he asks. His voice is low.

"Not for you," she says, almost sighing, and she rests her leg to the side of the beam to face him. "But I guess that won't get rid of you, right?"

He sits cross-legged, hands on his knees.

"You're the one sitting on the roof in the middle of the night." He shrugs, "Things like this aren't considered normal behavior, Korra."

She smirks at this. "Says the guy who came up on the roof to talk to me."

"I'm just making sure you're alright."

"I'm fine." She says, a little sharp on her tongue and her brow furrows. She looks off to the side. "I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing; it doesn't concern you."

He throws his legs over the edge, sliding along the beam to get closer. Korra turns around and he can feel the heat coming from her back. She can hear him breathing in her ear.

"It's late," she says softly. "You should go to bed."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." His chin is above her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She brings her hand to his chest and pushes lightly, but it's enough to get him away enough for her to collect her thoughts and face him well enough to bring the words out.

"I just-" she pauses. "I'm worried about Amon. I'm worried I won't be able to save this city."

He puts a hand on her shoulder and he can hear the wind whisper through the trees, seeing it blow her hair in front of her face. Her skin is cold to touch and he doesn't know how long it has been since she first came out her, troubled by thoughts of failure. It worries him, of course it does.

"We've talked about this before," he says. "You don't need to be worried."

She almost laughs, but it's more out of mockery and instead she blows hot air through her nose, looking up to the sky. "Yeah well," she says. "I already am."

"You're not going to fail."

"And how do you know?" she asks, looking him in the eye. "How do you know I won't fail?"

"Because-" he sighs, rubs the back of his head. "You wouldn't let that happen. You don't quit."

"And what if I did? What if I ran away?" she questions, "Aang did, long ago. I could too."

"He came back and so would you." Mako crosses his arms. "We'd find you. Drag you back if we had to."

He's tired of thinking like this. Korra is too and they're silent for a few moments after he finishes. She looks at the city and the wind pushes at her hair. He watches her breathe, studies the muscles on her back.

"What would you do if you weren't the Avatar?" he asks suddenly and he's sure he saw her jump at the thought, hands tightening around her knees. She opens her lips and her eyes move across the cityscape, searching for an answer.

"I… I don't know." Korra says slowly. "I've never thought about it. Never _had_ to."

She shrugs. Mako puts his hand to his chin.

"Alright. Then you're not."

She turns. "Not what?"

"Right now; you're not the Avatar." He looks to the ground and the leaves on the trees. "You're just Korra."

"That's not how it works, Mako." She nudges him on the shoulder. "I can't turn it off and on like a Satomobile."

"Just pretend, will you?" They both laugh and Korra leans back until she's resting against his shoulder. Mako points to the city with his other hand, his finger poking at every building on the bay. "If you were just here for fun, what would you do? Where would you go?"

Korra puts her head back to look at his face.

"That's obvious." She says and points to the Probending Arena. "I'd go see one of your matches."

"Then where?"

"You tell me." She says, staring at the city. "You've lived here your whole life, Mako. Tell me about the city."

"I'd rather not," he mumbles. "Not very good memories."

"Then skip them. Give me the good ones. Tell me about when you were kids." She says, almost demanding if it weren't for the softness of her voice. Mako breathes in and takes a look across the bay, searching for something special to tell her. Something she'll like.

_There._ He thinks, and he points to a spot.

They lose time in his tales and stories about better days. They get lost in the lights scattered under the stars.

**:Fin:**

_Ah, this was fun to write._


End file.
